San Francisco
San Francisco architect AXIS/GFA completes the St. Regis San Francisco luxury hotel renovation
Adding to the firm’s already extensive portfolio of luxury hotel design projects, the renovated St. Regis Hotel San Francisco – a Forbes 5 Star Hotel in the heart of San Francisco’s SoMa district – reopened in the summer of 2022 following a significant multi-stage renovation in-part led by AXIS/GFA’s San Francisco studio.
Focusing on the reconceptualization of the hotel’s existing lobby, reception, bar, and entrance, AXIS/GFA’s program for the ground floor was transformative. Key to the renovation was reconfiguring the first floor’s spaces to be as open as possible – an effort which required relocating the hotel’s entrance along the building’s façade, and updating the original porte cochère to take advantage of the new entrance. Existing partitions in the lobby were removed to further open the space to optimize uninterrupted sight lines, and to make the lobby as inviting and accessible as possible.
In the hotel’s new bar and restaurant, AXIS/GFA in coordination with noted UK-based hospitality interior design firm Blacksheep, took advantage of the newly opened first-floor space to create a brand new destination dining room and cocktail bar befitting of St. Regis’ luxury brand. Not only separating the restaurant from the lobby bar, but also creating more intimate entertaining spaces within each, a gorgeous system of overhead trellises are inspired by San Francisco’s iconic overhead tram lines, while at the same time imbue the spaces with an undeniable art deco energy in reverence to St. Regis’ founding family the Astors.
Perfecting the design of the food and beverage spaces are wall cladding and artistic vertical inlays, lighting fixtures, custom glass partition walls, and feature flooring elements each incorporating the profile and design of the space’s signature trellises. A color palette of muted golds, blues, and metal hues inspired by the surrounding Northern California environment completes the space.